With its overabundance of superstores peddling anime, manga, video games, and all the merchandise one could possibly ever imagine in between, Tokyo's geekiest 'burg draws dedicated otaku from all over the globe. A cottage industry of themed cafes, restaurants, and bars further caters to these nerdy needs, but Akihabara is still full of surprises for the more conventional traveler. Michelin-starred restaurants, cozy brewpubs, and ancient Shinto shrines are just a few such destinations waiting in the wings—and we've got it all covered for you in this neighborhood guide.

Aki-Oka as most people refer to it, is a strip of 50 boutique shops and cafes located under a renovated section of the Yamanote Line train tracks. Open since late 2010, the area has garnered a great deal of attention from retailers and consumers alike for its focus on innovative craftsmanship.

Curry wa Nomimono is all about the food. So much so, in fact, that ice water is the only available option to wash it down. In a way this is fitting, as the shop's name translates to "Curry is a Drink."

Owner and chef Takayoshi Takeuchi has been plying his trade for over for decades, more than enough time to perfect his technique of low temperature frying that leaves each pork cutlet golden brown and outwardly crisp in delicate contrast to the juicy and tender pork inside.

Game Bar A-Button feels like the cramped apartment of a hoarder with a penchant for video games. The walls above the tiny bar are decorated with dozens of console controllers suspended from their own cords, and generations of handheld devices are scattered across the bar itself.

Hitachino Brewing Lab is an ideal pitstop for a cold Japanese craft beer and a quick bite beneath the bright lights of Electric Town. It's a good bar to visit with friends, but the jovial staff and communal seating make it a likely place to meet some new ones, too.

Despite the spartan approach at GRIDS, the quality of each sleeping space, cut-rate prices, and location just close enough to public transport without the accompanying commotion make this one of Tokyo's best bang-for-buck places to stay.

Bar Sekirei is quiet and tasteful, affecting the image of an upscale English pub with an subtle anime twist your could almost miss. The decor is predominantly dark brick, stained wood, and mallard green wallpaper, but take stock of the tastefully framed posters along the wall opposite the bar, and the anime paraphernalia sprinkled throughout, and suddenly the bar takes on a new dimension.

Let yourself indulge in one of Tokyo's bizarre, totally endearing cat cafés. Cat Café MOCHA operates a handful of locations throughout the city, but its shop in Harajuku is a stylish, light, airy, all-contemporary nook for the ultimate "kawaii" experience. Almost twenty cats (all different breeds) roam a light-flooded, fourth-floor café that's kitted out with ample seats, trailing plants, and complimentary Wi-Fi. A wooden, sculptural tree stands in the center with seats built into the branches so cats can perch in the canopy, while gold-painted birdcages hang across the ceiling like stepping stones.

Yodobashi sells an eye-popping laundry list of electronics equipment. Virtually any electronic product is available somewhere in the store, and from nearly every manufacturer under the sun. The Akihabara Apple Store is also located on the first floor.

Akiba Fukurou is great for families with children and animals lovers of all kinds, especially those easily entranced by the delicate frames and all-seeing eyes of owls. Each visit comes with a booklet introducing the 35 species represented at the cafe, as well as a laminated photo of you with one of the birds at the end of your visit.

Super Potato is Shangri-La for old-school gamers. This second-hand video game shop occupying the third to fifth floors of its cramped backstreet low-rise specializes in vintage and retro games, many of which are unavailable just about everywhere else in the world.

Across the dozens of stores you'll find everything Akihabara has to offer otaku shoppers, with lower levels focusing more on general anime, manga, and video game collectibles, though there are also stores for eyewear, cell phones, and second-hand stereo components.

This celebrated shrine is best for visitors curious about Tokyo's history and wider Shinto practices in Japan. For everyone else, it is still a pleasant escape from the flash of Akihabara, especially at night when an eerie quiet settles into shadowy concrete and people are even scarcer.

You never know what eclectic ingredients you might see scattered around this cozy ramen shop, which caters to a host of businessmen-regulars who often spend their whole lunch breaks waiting for noodles in the (admittedly lengthy) line.

Nemuri-an has become more and more popular with foreign tourists over the past few years, though it is not uncommon to see locals here, too. Everyone has been lured by Nemuri-an's reputation for world-class soba, and most wait with an eager reverence.

Among the many shopping complexes selling subculture collectibles in Akihabara, Mandarake is the biggest and best for second-hand items. The company is well-known in certain collectors' circles since it sells online and ships worldwide, but there is no substitute for coming to its towering brick-and-mortar flagship store here in Akihabara.

The first TV series, Mobile Suit Gundam, introduced the world to Gundam mecha in 1979 and in doing so gave birth to an entirely new science fiction genre. Given the series' nearly four-decade history, the clientele now spans generations.